In which of the following autocratic countries do you think the populace approves of the government?

[TheReckoning]

In which of these countries does the majority of the population approve of the government?

[President Johnson]

Hard to measure, probably (almost) all of them, because they're "brainwashed". Autocratic governments usually control the entire media landscape, which makes it so easy telling people what to believe and what not to believe.

[parochial boy]

I think in Eritrea and Belarus there is a lot of evidence to suggest that an outright majority probably don’t. In Afghanistan and Cuba we have also seen enough to know that at least a substantial portion of the populations of both countries are genuinely opposed to their governments.

Even in China and Russia, undoubtedly both so have majority support but probably less than is commonly assumed. Russia because various evidence shows that supper for Purin is rather lower than what polls usually suggest; and in China it’s a bit more complicated but the reaction to the Shanghai lockdowns as well as the protest that sprang up in response to various recent banking scandals suggest there is probably more simmering dissatisfaction than people outside the country tend to réalise.

[Sol]

Hard to measure, probably (almost) all of them, because they're "brainwashed". Autocratic governments usually control the entire media landscape, which makes it so easy telling people what to believe and what not to believe.

I think it's less a matter of "belief" and more a matter of considering what's practical to think and share regarding one's opinions. There's probably a large number of people in these societies who privately think "this is messed up, but I have to cope with this situation so let's not focus on big picture questions."

This is why authoritarian regimes sometimes can collapse all at once, because if a majority of people think this way they can flip very quickly when things start to turn.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

People seem to think the Chinese government has like 90% approval, and it's not entirely true.

I'd say a good 40% might prefer something else or are somewhat dissatisfied but have seen living standards rise enough that they don't care.

[Del Tachi]

Hard to measure, probably (almost) all of them, because they're "brainwashed". Autocratic governments usually control the entire media landscape, which makes it so easy telling people what to believe and what not to believe.

I think it's less a matter of "belief" and more a matter of considering what's practical to think and share regarding one's opinions. There's probably a large number of people in these societies who privately think "this is messed up, but I have to cope with this situation so let's not focus on big picture questions."

Eh, I think I disagree.  If you're conditioned to believe that you don't have any influence over government, then you'll quickly check-out on forming political opinions.  People living under autocracy could be heavily dissatisfied with the material state of their country while simultaneously never channeling that into any kind of organized political thought.  The "big picture questions" never occur to someone who doesn't believe they have any influence over the process.

This is why authoritarian regimes sometimes can collapse all at once, because if a majority of people think this way they can flip very quickly when things start to turn.

On the contrary, I think autocratic regimes are quick to fall because they are often propped up by only a few key supporters (i.e., oligarchs, the military, etc.)  Flip the keys and you'll flip the government.  Political power in properly democratic societies is just too diffuse and coalitional to make violent regime change a realistic possibility, even though democratic governments are often more unpopular than dictatorial ones.   

[PSOL]

Why are countries like El Salvador or Ukraine not on this list?

[WD]

Why are countries like El Salvador or Ukraine not on this list?

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Idk about Eritrea.

Majority approve: China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba
Unsure about Iran, but I feel there's more opposition there than one thinks. Still think majority approve tho or about 50/50 maybe, but definitely more approve/better control than back under the Shah.
Afghanistan is too recent, but the fact that the Taliban was able to take over so easily, also suggests to me that people don't care or that people don't disapprove the Taliban more than they did do disapprove the general government. Like Iran, there will be opposition & more than one thinks. The Taliban though always had some control over the country, even when they didn't control the entire country.

Turkmenistan & North Korea are probably similar, although I think approval is higher in North Korea, simply because Turkmenistan is more incompetent.

Belarus is probably the country with the highest disapproval of their government out of these.

[TheReckoning]

Why are countries like El Salvador or Ukraine not on this list?

More fitting one for PSOL:

[PSOL]

Not even a real response

Anyway the Iranian government has no popular support outside 20-30% of the population made up of basiji and Sepah security apparatus families and the religious establishment.

The only country in this list with the highest approvals is most likely China, mainly due to their pandemic response and economic upturn from the former. Next is Cuba with a plurality support of the population. The current government in Afghanistan barely has majority support over Pashtuns and I doubt the least electrified and broadband covered country in Central Asia, Turkmenistan, has a population that cares one way or another about the government.

[Pericles]

Most of these people I guess don't even think about politics and just think "it is what it is".

[David Hume]

Hard to measure, probably (almost) all of them, because they're "brainwashed". Autocratic governments usually control the entire media landscape, which makes it so easy telling people what to believe and what not to believe.

I don't know enough about the other countries, but I am suspicious. I only think North Korea brainwashed enough for this, since the people there have pretty much zero outside info. Even in China, there are indeed many people who approve CCP, but a lot simply are ok with the current economic development, and don't have enough incentive, courage, and realistic hope to go against it.